Monday, May 3, 2010

Seasonal eating from the garden sometimes requires overloading on the current harvest. Last summer, we tired of eggplant after months of eating it almost every day, and by November we did not want to look at another cucumber. Right now, we're in chicory mode. Puntarelle, Wild Chicory, Dandelion Greens, Barba di Cappuccino, Radicchio, and Escarole are all maturing at the same time in massive quantities. We want to enjoy these wonderful bitter greens while we can because the plants won't survive long now that our daytime temperatures are hitting the 80's.

Escarole is a versatile, fairly mild chicory. It produces a head of large, soft leaves ideal for any number of recipes. Right now, the heads resemble small trees as the plants send up thick flower stems. Escarole is delicious when braised or sauteed, but it is also wonderful raw, fresh-picked from the garden. In this panini, the escarole is not cooked at all. The taleggio melts enough to gently warm the leaves, and the fig jam plays off the greens' bitter flavor. These are intense, bold flavors that celebrate the end of chicory season perfectly.

Taleggio is a rich Italian cheese made from whole cows' milk. The cheese has a long history in Italy, being referred to as "stracchino" because it was made from the milk of tired or "stracca" cows returning from the high pastures of Northern Italy in the autumn. Production of taleggio is believed to date back to the 10th or 11th century, and possibly earlier. While it is labeled a "semi-soft" cheese, it is actually quite soft and gooey, with a wonderful, almost runny texture that easily melts in the mouth. Taleggio is what we fondly call a "stinky" cheese, with a pungent aroma and tangy flavor. The cheese is an ideal companion for escarole or other chicories because of its intensity, but is also wonderful when used in risotto, pasta, salad, and even paired with fruit or wine.

Taleggio Melt with Escarole and Fig Jam

Ingredients

4 slices sourdough or similar bread

olive oil

2 Tbs fig jam

12 oz Taleggio, sliced thickly

4 oz escarole, stems and ribs removed, chopped

Procedure

Spread fig jam on two slices of bread. Add cheese and escarole. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and add top pieces of bread.

Heat olive oil in a pan over medium low until hot, then brown sandwiches. Flip and repeat. Cheese should be gooey and melted, and bread toasted to a golden brown.